


Moms are Tough

by Spiria



Category: Final Fantasy XIII
Genre: Alternate Reality, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-30
Updated: 2016-06-30
Packaged: 2018-07-19 05:12:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 428
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7346467
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Spiria/pseuds/Spiria
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In another timeline, a son's death propels his mother into a journey of helping a man save the love of his life.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Moms are Tough

Moms are tough, but Nora is no longer sure what she is. If a wife without her husband is a widow, what is a mother without her son? (That she has no answer is proof of a phenomenon that should never have happened.) As she mulls over this question, Raines departs with a possible consolation that sounds distant to her ears while Rygdea takes his place. Rygdea mentions Snow, who's engaged in energetic conversation with Fang not a long ways off, and Nora says, "Since the Vestige, I'd had a feeling . . . but I didn't acknowledge it, because moms don't forsake their sons."

Rygdea doesn't say anything for one reason or another, and Nora resolved to do the same as they watch Snow wave Fang off. The young man has suffered enough, Nora tells Rygdea, so he doesn't need more bad news. Things are already hard with Serah's predicament and their newfound purpose as l'Cie of Pulse.

It's hard to give Snow an encouraging smile when he greets her, but the hardest part is burying the image of Hope's sweet smile when she's asked if she's okay (it must be the look in her eyes, because her smile doesn't quite lift them as much as it used to). Nora clears Snow's concern with a nod and asks about his fiancée instead.

Snow doesn't have a shortage of good things to say about Serah. He's more than happy to answer the question, albeit with the occasional drop in mood whenever reality catches up to him. After his display of determination and desperation in Lake Bresha, Nora realizes that Snow always puts on a show that masks his hardships; the way his eyebrows crease and lips turn down, only to pop back up and into an endearing grin, is his method of coping. Even now, after the physical loss of the love of his life, Snow grins and makes Nora's heart tingle with ache.

Nora had also lost the love of her life mere hours ago. The truth of it from Raines' mouth still twists her gut and guts her mind, but she wonders if Snow has fully processed his tragedy. For that reason in spite of reflecting the mask, she worries that his will crumble before long if he continues to shoulder - and ignore - his pains by himself. Snow is far from alone, which is why, once he admits that he's being naive but doing what he can, Nora gives him the same expression she had at the Vestige when she'd taken up arms.

"Then let's save her together, Hero."


End file.
